Roessler asks Doyle to direct legislature to lift cap on Nursing Home Diversion program
MADISON—State Senator Carol Roessler (R-Oshkosh) Saturday (2/10/07) asked Governor Jim Doyle to urge the Legislature to take swift action to expand the Nursing Home Diversion Program during his budget address. In a letter to the Governor, Roessler stated, “We should move with urgency to remove the cap and allow persons in need of services to remain in a community based setting when they run out of money and skilled nursing home care is not needed.”
2005 Act 355, the Nursing Home Diversion program authored by Senator Roessler, was signed into law last year. The program is limited to 150 people who have exhausted all of their financial resources and are not in need of skilled nursing home care.
“There are many people who pay for their long term care in a community setting until they have no money left. When their own money is used up, these individuals are faced with no choice but to transfer to a nursing home. The Nursing Home Diversion program only provides services to individuals who are facing imminent entry into a nursing home,” explained Roessler.
Roessler continued, “Community based care is often less expensive than nursing home care. If a person is not in need of skilled nursing care, it is common sense for the state to support that person in a community based setting rather than pay more money for services the individual does not need.”
In reference to the current 150 person cap, Roessler commented,“The slots were filled in 7 weeks. The cap was put in place to ‘test’ the program. We knew there was a need for the program but wanted to start on a small scale in the event the cost was more than anticipated. As a condition of the CIP II waiver, the federal government requires cost-neutrality and the DHFS has proven this can be done.”
“It is not prudent to require people facing this situation today to enter a nursing home only to offer them a later opportunity for a community based placement through the relocation initiative. It is critical that we not wait and waste precious time and disruption for these vulnerable adults.” said Roessler.
Roessler is leading a bi-partisan effort to lift this cap in advance of the six month budget consideration.
2005 Act 355, the Nursing Home Diversion program authored by Senator Roessler, was signed into law last year. The program is limited to 150 people who have exhausted all of their financial resources and are not in need of skilled nursing home care.
“There are many people who pay for their long term care in a community setting until they have no money left. When their own money is used up, these individuals are faced with no choice but to transfer to a nursing home. The Nursing Home Diversion program only provides services to individuals who are facing imminent entry into a nursing home,” explained Roessler.
Roessler continued, “Community based care is often less expensive than nursing home care. If a person is not in need of skilled nursing care, it is common sense for the state to support that person in a community based setting rather than pay more money for services the individual does not need.”
In reference to the current 150 person cap, Roessler commented,“The slots were filled in 7 weeks. The cap was put in place to ‘test’ the program. We knew there was a need for the program but wanted to start on a small scale in the event the cost was more than anticipated. As a condition of the CIP II waiver, the federal government requires cost-neutrality and the DHFS has proven this can be done.”
“It is not prudent to require people facing this situation today to enter a nursing home only to offer them a later opportunity for a community based placement through the relocation initiative. It is critical that we not wait and waste precious time and disruption for these vulnerable adults.” said Roessler.
Roessler is leading a bi-partisan effort to lift this cap in advance of the six month budget consideration.
posted by Cheryl Hentz at 7:41 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home